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Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Tips for Dealing with Cervical Neck Pain

Cervical neck pain can be extremely bothersome. The National Institute of Health doesn’t have statistics on the number of people suffering from the condition, but the pain seems to affect many people. Fortunately, there are a variety of ways that people suffering from it can lessen the pain.

Treating Cervical Neck Pain

There are a variety of things that you can do to manage cervical neck pain. Here are some tips worth considering. Keep in mind that there may be a point where you need to see a professional such as the experts at the leading pain centers in Southern Arizona if the pain is too intense.

Focus on Proven Treatments

Many people try to use treatments that sound promising without evaluating their effectiveness. For example, many experts claim that cervical pillows will reduce the problems associated with cervical neck pain. Unfortunately, evidence supporting their effectiveness is inconclusive. Ineffective treatments can make patients complacent and cause them to be discouraged when symptoms don’t improve. Therefore, you will want to focus on treatments that actually seem to work.

Apply Heat and Cold

Using heat and cold can significantly alleviate the pain. Treating cervical neck problems is different than most other types of pain, so ignore traditional advice that you should use cold for the first 48 hours and use heat to reduce tension after. The best approach is to simply use whichever provides the most relief.

Focus on Muscle Relaxation

Cervical neck pain is often caused by muscle stiffness. You will want to do everything possible to reduce it to make the pain more manageable. Here are some things to keep in mind:

Take baths rather than showers, because you will have more heat on the problem area.

Stretch for about 20 minutes after getting out of bed. Try to stretch the neck as much as possible.

Visit a masseuse at least once every couple of weeks. A number of massage therapists offer services for under $25.

Releasing muscle tension is one of the most effective ways to treat cervical neck pain. You will need to pay close attention to it.

Reduce Stress in Upper Body

You may also need to make some changes to avoid placing unnecessary stress on your neck and upper back. Here are some lifestyle changes that you may need to make:

Avoid lifting objects weighing over 50 pounds.

Use an ergonomic workstation if you are going to be working on a computer or any other desk job.

Try to keep your head up while texting or engaging in other activities. Some experts have stated that cervical neck pain is more common today, because people are keeping their heads tilted down so often.

Make sure that you get in the habit of reducing stress in your neck and upper back. Making these lifestyle changes will help address cervical neck pain. Disclosure: sponsored guest post.